I want to
tell you a story about relationships. The
most wonderful things can happen when you build relationships! And gifts can come to you in the most
unexpected ways. A chance meeting and I
have a new, really wonderful, friend!
It was quite a few years ago. as I walked the aisles
of the Kehe Specialty Food Show in Chicago, that I was introduced to Rao's
Specialty Food Products. As I talked
with the Rao's rep, I was certain this
was a product I wanted at Harter House World Flavors. At the end of the show, the Rao's
representative gave me a Rao's Cookbook.
It has been one of my favorites. I
especially loved reading the history about the Restaurant, dating back to 1896,
when Charles Rao bought a small saloon at the corner of 114 Street and Pleasant
Avenue in upper Manhattan.
RAO'S
BAR & GRILL- New York
Located at the corner of 114th. Street & Pleasant Avenue
Harlem N.Y. Open Monday through Friday...Dinner Only. If you do not have a reservation, you can always have a drink at the bar.
Rao's is renowned for
its jukebox, its quirky decor, its unmatched hospitality and most of all, the
spectacular Neapolitan cuisine. It's also notorious for being one of the most
difficult restaurants in New York in which to get a reservation.
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Year-long waits for
one of its ten tables are not uncommon. But what is it about this tiny,
charming restaurant that makes it the most in-demand spot in the city night
after night, year after year?
For decades Rao's Bar
& Grill existed as a neighborhood restaurant. Its local customers would
fill the tables with such regularity that eventually they were given standing
reservations - bookings that persevere to this day. The Rao's phenomenon
exploded in 1977, when New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton gave Rao's a
gushing, half-page, three-star review, splashing the city's best-kept secret in
front of millions of readers. Since Rao's NYC location only has ten tables, and
only one seating per evening, the resulting demand would have been overwhelming
even if the tables weren't already spoken for. That the tables were
"owned" like a condominium translated to almost no empty seats in the
house, night after night.
Fast forward to today. After announcing my plans to go to New York this December, a friend called today to tell me that I had 2 reservations for dining at Rao's during my stay. I don't know if I can explain my excitement. The more I learned about the restaurant history, the more I wanted to experience the atmosphere.
And
I can't wait to share it with you! My reservations are for Friday night, Dec.
6, 2013. Until then, I will have to
suffice with Rao's products from the shelves of Harter House
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